War: Moral Or Immoral?
By Monty Rainey (02/08/03)
I don't normally write about a subject such as this, but our nation is immersed in so much apostasy, from time to time, clarification of the Word of God becomes necessary. We currently have a lot of Americans running around asking questions like, "What would Jesus do?" and making false assumptions and twisting of doctrine to accommodate their cowardice and misguided political views.
People ignorantly cite such tidbits of doctrine as "Jesus said the meek will inherit the earth."
This is particularly popular among atheists attempting to ridicule Christianity as being hypocritical. Unfortunately, we have many citizens today who enjoy the freedom only available in America, while giving allegiance to other entities, such as communism, the United Nations or the Pope. This is nothing more than indulging in privilege, without shouldering the duty of responsibility. This is also the same destructive hypocrisy which has the ability to one day destroy America the same way it destroyed Judea. In 70 A.D., the Herodians, Sadducees and Pharisees paid the price for this type hypocrisy. They enjoyed the advantages of the Roman Empire while simultaneously seeking its destruction. Consequently, Rome destroyed them and completely removed their autonomy. Unfortunately today, America will likely never seek similar recourse, as the attacks are coming from within.
The Bible has a great deal to say about war. The confusion in regard to the Biblical precepts of war derives from ignorance of the Divine viewpoint on the subject. Despite constant attempts to distort the truth, the Bible teaches that warfare is necessary to protect freedoms and country and is moral and justified. Though immoral acts often occur during the course of war, the war itself is moral when necessary.
Fighting and killing the enemy is moral, not immoral! At this point, the popular retort is the generally misconstrued Sixth Commandment, "Thou shalt not kill." The problem here is, the verse is well known to be a mistranslation. The Hebrew word for kill is "katal" and is not found here. The word found in the original texts is "ratsatch" which literally means 'murder.' Therefore, the corrected translation of Exodus 20:13 should read, "Thou shall not murder." This is not just a mere difference of semantics, but an entirely different concept altogether. This commandment correctly and clearly refers to homicide, not warfare.
Obviously, not all war is justified. One needs look no further than the settlement of the American west and such occurrences as the Sand Creek Massacre for examples of unjust warfare. War for personal or political enhancement, such as the Nazi movement of World War II is not justified warfare. As a rabid dog must be destroyed, so must evil and oppression be destroyed! God's perfect system of justice uses warfare to judge nations which have become totally depraved and whose viewpoints are incompatible with God's Divine Institution of Nationalism. Many times in the Old Testament, God used warfare to destroy nations and stop the spread of its corruption or to preserve His own people. Some examples can be found in Gen. 15:14, 16, Lev. 18:25, 1 Kings 21:26, and Amos 2:9. 1 Chronicles 5:22 tells us "For there fell down many slain, BECAUSE THE WAR WAS OF GOD ." The war was God's will and the enemy was killed! That phrase should answer once and for all any question of God's objection of war.
Many today also state that we are wrong to go into Iraq and should delay war until we are attacked here in America, (which we were on Sept. 11). This poses the question; however, is it justified for us to fight in another country for the protection of our own? This is answered in Numbers 32: 5 - 32. The tribes of Reuben and Gad wanted to be left out of the war. The simply wanted to be cowboys, left alone to tend their herds.
Reuben and Gad were dragging their feet. They had good land. Moses explained to them that by avoiding war, they were not only involved in sinful carnality, but their actions could well bring the Lord's wrath upon the entire land. The passages go on to explain, it was clearly time for war. Had Reuben and Gad not gone to war, they would have been guilty before God. Notice the alternative which Moses states: "But if you will not do so, behold, YE HAVE SINNED AGAINST THE LORD, [by not going to war]: and be sure your sin [of cowardice] will find you out [Your country will be conquered and you will be in slavery, if this sin is on a large enough scale]." (Num. 32:23) As a nation today, the threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction is a clear threat to our freedoms. As a nation, we are obligated to protect our freedom for future generations and each day we delay war, we are just as guilty of sinning against the Lord as Moses said the tribes of Reuben and Gad would have been!
The Bible goes on to explain that the objective of war is nothing less than decisive defeat of the enemy. Annihilation of the enemy is the only way to assure peace! Capturing towns or villages does not win wars. You must decimate the enemy ranks!
"Come behold the WORKS OF THE LORD [war], what desolations [annihilations] he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. (Psa. 46:8,9)
The Sennacherib invasion of Judah is the backdrop for this passage. Jesus has slaughtered the enemy and brought an end to the war, as found in Isaiah 37:36, 37, and 2 Kings 19:35. Christ gave the word and 185,000 Assyrian soldiers were destroyed. "He maketh wars to cease." How? History gives us the answer. Wars end when the enemy is defeated, decisively!
There will always be doves flitting about who unintentionally provoke war by hoping beyond hope to be able to "pet the cobra" or peacefully coexist with the leopard. You will inevitably end up peacefully dead. "Thus saith the Lord concerning the [false] prophets [which today would be analogous to liberal politicians and clergy] that make my people err, that bite with their teeth [they are unrealistic, lack common sense] and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him. (Mic. 3:5).
Liberals are deceived by peace propaganda and are blinded to the consequences of 'peace at any cost.' Those who urge a peaceful coexistence with the enemies of the United States are oblivious to the fact that they are the very people who are preparing for war against us now. They are blinded to the dangers of NOT going to war when going to war is the only solution to maintaining long term peace. The truth is, every "peacenik" in this country is a traitor and is a weapon of the enemy.
Our nation's freedom was obtained through military victory. It can only be maintained by the same. Are we not obliged to leave to our children and grandchildren, the same freedom we have enjoyed? We can only do so by destroying those who seek to destroy us. Those same enemies who despise our freedom and our prosperity.
God Bless America.
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